Fire damages city warehouse

June 27, 2008|By RICHARD IRWIN

A two-alarm fire caused extensive damage last night to a vacant West Baltimore warehouse.

No injuries were reported, but there was evidence that homeless people were using the building as shelter, said Chief Kevin Cartwright, a Fire Department spokesman. He said one man was escorted from the burning building by the first firefighters on the scene.

The fire, in the 800 block of N. Franklintown Road near West Lanvale Street, was reported at 10:35 p.m., Cartwright said. It went to two alarms at 10:45 p.m. At least 70 firefighters manning 30 pieces of equipment fought the blaze, he said. Traffic was detoured from the area by police. The cause of the fire is being investigated, Cartwright said.